1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to medical appliances and more specifically to electrosurgery suitable for use with an arthroscopic system.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
The field of electrosurgery has undergone major and rapid advances since the early 1900's. In general, electrosurgery techniques have been utilized primarily in neurological and urological operations. The use of electrosurgical techniques in neurological and urological operations has produced improvements in both the configuration of the electrosurgical electrode as well as improvements in the electrical power generators powering the electrosurgical electrode. Electrosurgical power generators are now able to produce a wide range of power levels and frequencies which are now suitable for other types of electrosurgical techniques requiring higher power and/or control of current and voltage to the electrosurgical electrode.
With the advancements in the electrosurgical power generators, emphasis has been placed on the specialization of electrodes for specific electrosurgical techniques to enable more accurate electrosurgical operations. The widespread application of arthroscopic devices has also revolutionized the use of electrosurgery enabling many operations to now be accomplished with minimal external incisions and with superior control of coagulation and cutting through precisely controlled electrosurgical generators and specifically designed electrosurgical electrodes.
Many in the prior art have designed specific electrosurgical electrode configurations for specific electrosurgical techniques. U.S. Pat. No. 2,090,923 to Wappler discloses an electrodic endoscopic instrument in which a fenestrated endoscopic sheath is provided with means for longitudinally advancing and retracting an electrode rod with the rod having an operative electrode at the forward end protruding from the fenestra.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,538 to Mrava et al teaches the use a resectoscope electrode assembly with a non-conductive bearing tube and method of making the same wherein one section of the electrode takes the form of a pair of spaced parallel arms terminating in an arcuate cutting loop with the arms being encased in insulated sleeving to prevent arcing between the electrode arms.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,131 to Ogiu discloses a high frequency electrosurgical instrument for cutting human body cavity structures wherein an electrode is reciprocally mounted through a sheath enabling the electrode to be inserted through a channel in an endoscope and thereafter extended to provide a suitable cutting electrode.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,144 to Harada discloses an electrosurgical knife which may be inserted into a body cavity of a patient through an endoscope wherein the electrode is disposed within a flexible insulation tube with a metal sheath encasing the electrode with the metal sheath being in electrical contact with the skin of the patient.
Although the aforementioned prior art references have aided in the development of electrosurgery, none of the aforementioned advances has satisfied the needs in the treatment and management of joint disorders in orthopedic practice. The use of arthroscopy in orthopedic practice has enabled orthopedic surgeons to directly visualize injury and disease sites and correct conditions with a minimal incision which only a few years ago would require an extensive open incision. However, the advent of arthroscopic surgery in orthopedic practice has posed new problems to the manufacturers of electrosurgical equipment, namely the control of bleeding and the difficulty of dividing the tough avascular tissues encountered in the joints.
G. Klaud Miller, M.D. et al has disclosed the advantages of electrosurgery in orthopedic practice in a paper entitled "The Use of Electrosurgery for Arthroscopic Subcutaneous Lateral Release" published by Charles B. Slack, Inc., Medical Publisher, (1982).
It is a primary objective of this invention to provide an apparatus which overcomes the aforementioned difficulties of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a substantial contribution to the advancement of electrosurgical electrode art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved electrosurgical electrode which is applicable to many types of surgical operations but is specifically designed for a subcutaneous lateral release as well as meniscectomy operations.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved electrosurgical electrode wherein the electrode is interchangeable with an electrode holder and wherein the electrode and the electrode holder may be manufactured as a disposable medical appliance.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved electrosurgical electrode comprising a solid electrode shaft having an electrode tip at the terminal end thereof with the distal end of the electrode tip comprising a hook extending generally perpendicular to an axis extending through the electrode shaft.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved electrosurgical electrode wherein the electrode shaft is insulated between the active electrode tip and the electrode holder.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved electrosurgical electrode wherein the electrode shaft and electrode tip having a hook configuration may be inserted into the patient through a conventional introducer for an arthroscopic operation.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.